Process of refining iron.



P. W. HAWKINS & G. F. KEY.

PROCESS OF REFINING IRON.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21 1906.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

bran snares PATENT OFF-EOE.

FREDERICK W. HAWKINS AND GEORGE F. KEY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, .ASSIG'NORS TO THE GLOBE STEEL FILTRATION PROCESS COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A

CORPORATION OF ARIZONA TERRITORY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PROCESS OF-REFINING IRON.

Application filed may 21, 1906. Serial No. 318,053.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK W.

'HAwKINs and GEORGE F. KEY, citizens of ing iron and has for its objectthe obtaining of a process in which the metal receives a uniform treatment through its mass.

It is a further object to reduce the time necessary for cczmpleting the refining.

In the drawing, an apparatus is illustrated diagrammatically in longitudinal section, in whlch 'our improved process may be carried out.

It is a special object of our invention to provide a rocess which is suitable for the refining 0 iron which, in its crude state, has a high percentage of impurities requiring for their elimination different treatment. For exam le, iron which contains both silicon an phosphorus, or silicon, sulfur and phosphorus cannot be directly treated in an open-hearth basic-lined furnace, for the reason that the linin s would be destroyed by the reactions 0 the silicon. On the other hand, such metal cannot be refined by the Bessemer process, as this does not extract the phosphorus, and sulfur.

With our improved rocess the iron is first treated in a receptadle or furnace herein referred to to eliminate the impurities which will yield to oxidation and subsequently, but in direct continuation of this first treatment, the metal is subjected to a second treatment, with a basic material, in another furnace or chamber, which removes the phosphorus and sulfur. In the latter step and preferably in both steps of the process all ortions of the metal are subjected to uni orm treatment by atomizing or breaking up the molten mass into minute particles, this being preferably accomplished by a blast of dry steam, or of dry steam and air, the latter being preferably pre-heated.

In the apparatus illustrated in the drawing, A is a preparatory furnace or reducing chamber, which is preferably mounted upon trunnions B upon a turntable C, so that therein.

the furnace may be arranged either in a horizontal position or in an inclined position for pouring out the molten metal. In this horizontal position one end of the chamber A is arranged in registration with a flue or stack connection D providing an escape for the gases of combustion. The opposite end of the furnace is provided with a steam twyer E and one or more air twyers F, these twyers being arranged to direct their jets longitudinally of the furnace. G is a well or .receptacle formed in the upper wall of the furnace adjacent the end containing the twyers, said well terminating at its lower end in a slot or narrow passage. This well is adapted for the reception of the crude molten metal which will pass through the narrow slot and will fall into the furnace A directly in the path of the jets issuing from the twyers E and F. E are a series of twyers for blowing air over the molten metal in the furnace A and assisting in oxidation. H is a second furnace which is arranged at a lower level than that of the furnace A and is stationary. This furnace His also provided with steam and air twyers I and J extending in through one of the end walls thereof to direct their jets longitudinally of the furnace. K is a metal well for the furnace H which also is provided with a narrow discharge opening for permitting metal in twyers E and F so that metal dropping from the well may be blown/into fine partieles and scattered throughout the length of the furnace A. Durin the passage of the small particles of'meta through the atmosphere Within the furnace, a large percentage of the silicon, manganese and carbon will be removed by oxidation. The metal will then collect in thebottom of the furnace where it remains until the entire charge has passed The furnace A is then revolved on the turntable C and tilted upon the trunnions B so as to lower its open end over the Patented Feb. 15, 191% the well to be discharged directly in the path well K on the furnace H. This will permit the molten metal within the furnace A to be dlscharged into the well K from which it is fed through the restricted passage into the path of air and steam admitted through the twyers I and J. This will a second time atomize the molten metal with the result that the remainder of the silicon, manganese and carbon will be oxidized. The bottom of the furnace H is covered wlth-a layer of comminuted basic material wh1ch is heated to a' high temperature by burning gases enterin the furnace chamber from end ports This comminuted 5 basic material forms a filter bed through which the minute particles of molten metal are obliged to percolate and in so dolng the metal is brought into intimate contact with the basic material which ex-' tracts the phosphorus and sulfur. Thus the metal which finally passes through the filter bed and collects in the bottom of the furnace H is purified'both from silicon, man- 4 ganese and carbon, and also from the phosphorus and sulfur.

The whole process may be carried out in a comparatively short period of time. By

subjecting the molten metal to a second atomlzing process all'the oxidizable impurities are sulficiently eliminated before the final treatmentof percolation. At the same time the first atomizing of the metal will remove the larger art of the silicon and manganese and car on so that the second treatment may be carried on in a basic lined furnace without danger of injury to the linmgs.

p In place of percolating the metal through a bed of commmuted basic material, this ma terial may be infused in the molten metal as it is atomized the second time. We referably, however, subject the metal to 0th treatments, z. 6., a certain amount of comminuted basic material is infused in the molten metal while undergoingthe second atomizing process, and the scattered particles of metal are then percolated through the bed of comminuted basic material, as has been previously described.

The receptacle K of any desired construction has a vertical partition is dividing the same into a plurality of hoppers, the one constituting the hot Well from which the molten metal issues throu h the restricted outlet k, as above describe and the other a receptacle for the basic material K to be infused in the molten metal.

What we claim is,

0 1. The herein described process of refinmg iron which consists in first eliminating a portion of the oxidizable impurities in the molten metal whilein a divided state, by a rocess of oxidation, in then atomizing or reaking up the molten mass into minute 65 particles and scattering the same to complete the oxidation, and then percolating the separate particles through a bed of comminuted material having a chemical aflinity for the remaining impurities.

2. The herein described process of refining iron which consists in first subjecting the. molten metal while in a divided state to a process of oxidation, whereby a portion of the oxidizable impurities is removed, in then atomizing or breaking up into minute particles and scattering the partially purified molten metal to complete the oxidation of the oxidizable impurities and in fin'ally percolating the particles through bed of a comminuted basic material.

3. The herein described process of refining iron which consists in first atomizing the molten metal in an oxidizing atmosphere, to remove a portion of the oxldizable impuri-' ties, and then re-atomi'zing the metal and scattering the particles over a bed of comminuted basic material whereby the remaining oxidizable impurities are first removed and other impurities are subsequently re-- moved by percolation through the basic bed. 90

4. The herein described process of refining iron which consists in atomizing and reatomizing the molten metal in successive. treatments, and in scattering the separate particles through an oxidizing atmosphere as herein described, and then passing the particles from the last atomizing treatment through a filter bed of comminuted basic materlal.

5. The herein-described process of refining 100 metal which consists in first eliminating a portion of the oxidizable impurities in the molten metal by a process of oxidation, and in subsequently atomizing the molten mass in an oxidizing atmosphere and treating the same with comminuted basic material.

6. The herein-described process of refining metal which consists in first eliminating a portion of the oxidizable impurities in the molten metal by a rocess of oxidation, and in subsequently in using basic material into the molten mass in atomizing, and scattering the mass through an oxidizing atmosphere to complete the oxidation, and finally percolating the particles through a bed of 115 comminuted basic material.

7. The herein described process of refining metal, which consists in first introducing the molten metal into a furnace having a nonbasic lining and an oxidizing atmos- 12o phere, atomizing the metal as it enters the furnace whereby a portion of the oxidizable impurities is removed, in then introducing the partially purified molten metal into a second furnace having a basic lining and 125 an oxidizing atmosphere, atomizing or breaking up into minute particles and scattering the partially purified molten metal to complete the oxidation of the oxidizable impurities, and in finally percolating, the 130 particles through a bed of comminuted basic material. I

8. The herein described process of refining metal which consists in, atomizing the molten metal in a furnace having a nonbasic lining and an oxidizing atmosphere whereby a portion of the oxidizable impurities in the molten metal is eliminated by oxidation, re-atomizing the metal and introducing it into a second furnace having a basic lining and an oxidizing atmosphere, atomizing the partially purified molten metal as it enters the furnace, and then passing the particles from the last atomizing treatment through a filter bed of comn1i nuted basic material.

In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK W. HAWKINS. GEORGE F. KEY.

Witnesses:

HARRY M. LAU, DAVID R. PERRY. 

